Usage note
便宜用来形容价格比其他同类商品更低。
pián yí lái yòng xínɡ róng jī gé bǐ qí tā lèi tónɡ hùn shēnɡ dìng.
便宜 is used to describe something that has a lower price compared to other similar items.
Context note
便宜常用于购物时比较价格。
pián yí chánɡ yònɡ wú ɡòu shí bǐ jiào jī gé.
便宜 is commonly used when shopping to compare prices.
5 examples
这件衣服很便宜。
zhè jiàn yī fu hěn pián yi。
This piece of clothing is very cheap.
那个水果店的苹果比较便宜。
nà ge shuǐ guǒ diàn de píng guǒ bǐ jiào pián yi。
The apples at that fruit store are relatively cheaper.
这本书比那本便宜很多。
zhè běn shū bǐ nà běn pián yi hěn duō。
This book is much cheaper than that one.
这件商品的价格有点便宜了。
zhè jiàn shāng pǐn de jià gé yǒu diǎn pián yi le。
The price of this item seems a bit too cheap.
那个地方的东西很便宜，但质量不太好。
nà ge dì fāng de dōng xī hěn pián yi， dàn zhì liàng bú tài hǎo。
The things there are very cheap, but the quality is not good enough.
5 mini stories
妈妈去超市买菜，发现一个水果摊上的苹果很便宜。
mā ma qù chāo shì mǎi cài， fā xiàn yí gè shuǐ guǒ tān shàng de píng guǒ hěn pián yi。
Mom went to the supermarket to buy vegetables and found that the apples at one fruit stall were very cheap.
小明在书店里看到一本书很便宜，就买了下来。
xiǎo míng zài shū diàn lǐ kàn dào yì běn shū hěn pián yi， jiù mǎi le xià lái。
Xiaoming saw a book was very cheap in the bookstore, so he bought it.
爸爸去市场买鱼，发现那里的鱼很便宜。
bà ba qù shì chǎng mǎi yú， fā xiàn nà lǐ de yú hěn pián yi。
Dad went to the market to buy fish and found that the fish there were very cheap.
姐姐在淘宝上看到一件衣服很便宜，就下单买了。
jiě jie zài táo bǎo shàng kàn dào yí jiàn yī fu hěn pián yi， jiù xià dān mǎi le。
Sister saw a piece of clothing was very cheap on Taobao, so she placed an order to buy it.
奶奶去菜市场买菜，发现一些蔬菜很便宜。
nǎi nai qù cài shì chǎng mǎi cài， fā xiàn yì xiē shū cài hěn pián yi。
Grandma went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables and found that some were very cheap.
Mini dialogue
买文具
A
这个本子很便宜。
Zhè ge běn zi hěn pián yi.
This notebook is very cheap.
B
是的，而且颜色很漂亮。
Shì de, ér qiě yán sè hěn piào liang.
Yes, and the color is very pretty.
挑选水果
A
苹果便宜吗？
Píng guǒ pián yi ma?
Are the apples cheap?
B
很便宜，我们买一些吧。
Hěn pián yi, wǒ men mǎi yī xiē ba.
Very cheap, let's buy some.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
贵
guì
expensive
Costs a lot of money
similar
划算
huá suàn
good value; worthwhile
Worth the money you pay